JASON GILLESPIE has paid tribute to the late Phil Hughes, a player he coached on an Australia ‘A’ tour of Zimbabwe in 2011.

The Yorkshire coach described it as a “privilege” to work with the 25-year-old, whose passing at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney yesterday has stunned the world of cricket.

Hughes died after being struck on the back of the neck by a bouncer from Sean Abbott while playing for South Australia against home state New South Wales at the SCG on Tuesday.

The Australia left-hander scored two hundreds on a tour where Gillespie was a fast bowling coach.

He also scored a blistering 80 not out in a losing cause for Worcestershire against Yorkshire in a Twenty20 quarter-final at Headingley in 2012, although that was before Gillespie had re-joined Yorkshire.

Gillespie said: “I had the privilege of coaching Phil, and you could see then that he had the ideal temperament and skill set to be a top player in the game.

“Since then, he made it into the national squad and continued to excel as a fine cricketer.

“It’s completely devastating to see the events that have taken place at the SCG. I can’t imagine how everyone is back in Australia.”